A Gentle Heart
by Yukitarina
Summary: "You can say various things about him, but you have to know the previous battles indeed left painful memories in his heart."


A/N: Thank you to those who have reviewed Bonne Nuit and my other fics. I was so surprised, it's been a while but you still read them…. I don't know when I'll finish Bonne Nuit… Instead, I write another fic :(. This idea came to my mind after I re-watched Hades Sanctuary and Inferno. I hope you can enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Saint Seiya characters

**A Gentle Heart**

By Yukitarina

Another boring day in Sanctuary, and the bored Milo was sitting beside the most boring saint ever in the most boring temple.

"Shaka?"

"Yes?"

"What are you doing in your spare time?"

"Meditating, it is."

"Oh, right." Milo yawned, lying on the carpet and put both of his hands beneath his head.

"Why are you asking?" asked Shaka calmly.

"Just asking."

"You are bored."

"Yeah. Wondering whether you'll like to ride roller coaster or something like that. Aiolia was doing his Saturday Night Fever with you-know-who and Camus was on the journey from you-know-where."

"If you insist."

Milo widened his brilliant blue eyes. "Really?"

"Why not?" The Virgo stood up in dignity with his eyes closed as usual. "Come."

The next hour they arrived at a certain amusement park, riding roller coaster. Milo was annoyed on the fact that Shaka could be no different with than a statue while facing the frightening game—he didn't even twitch when hearing Milo's shout, which was louder than a storm thunder.

"Shaka, what is it with that stoic face?" grumbled Milo when they'd been on the ground. "Don't you have any excitement?"

"Virgo Shaka performs no fear, moreover on something trivial like that stupid train."

"It's not a train," said Milo in horror, "It's a roller coaster!"

"Whatever."

The next fun thing was drinking apple-caramel juice in a certain café. Milo's face was bright as the vintage-style lamps surround them as he sipped the juice. It tasted like heaven, sweet and sour in a good way, reminding him of summertime.

But his eyebrows dropped as Shaka drank it with no expression and continued meditating the next seconds.

"Shaka, this apple is too delicious to be ignored."

"You must be thankful I managed to drink it. I do not usually eat earthly food."

"But _this is_ too delicious."

"I found it mediocre."

What does he find delicious then, a glass of water? Milo was about to ask, but decided not to.

The next thing was entering horror tent. Milo didn't stop whining and shouting to meet many kind of ghosts and ghouls, but Shaka kept closing his eyes and walked calmly until they reached the exit.

"_Shaka, _didn't you see their bloods and canines?"

"I did not, I closed my eyes."

"Didn't you see it with your eighth sense?"

"I felt it but they were just a bunch of cotton. I have seen evil spirits more than you can imagine."

When they reached Sanctuary, Shaka returned to his temple, but Milo found it too depressing to get along with the most boring saint in the most boring temple of all. So he made his way to Aquarius temple. Thankfully Camus had been there, reading another distressing book.

"He's worse than you," said Milo after telling Camus everything. "I need to know something which would make him like… 'Oh God, it's so amaaaazzziiiing!'"

"Bring him back to the Holy War," suggested Camus.

"That's funny," said Milo sarcastically.

"You know what? I think I've figured out some way."

"What is it? Offering him to Hades?"

"No."

Milo had never seen Camus's eyes that mischievous before.

As the Aquarius told him the thing they should do, Milo's grin was wider and wider that both corners of his lips almost touching his ears.

-00—

-00—

The evening had come, and Shaka, who was sleeping with his meditation-pose, had never thought he would hear horrendous shouts which said,

"MURDER! MURDER! THERE'S A MURDER IN SANCTUARY! A GOLD SAINT IS DEAD!"

Shaka snapped open his eyes, immediately walked fast to the exit of his temple. His eyes widely swept his surroundings, preparing himself to find blood or death body. Fear ran through his veins, and he couldn't help his hands to shake painfully.

But then he blinked. Many giggles and laughter popped out from the left side of his temple.

Some colourful heads appeared, followed by the annoying features of his friends. All Gold Saints—minus Dohko and the Pope—looked at him cheerfully, starting from Mu to Aphrodite. Deathmask even clutched his stomach to bear his laughter.

"We're just kidding," laughed Milo. "Finally! I have to discover you're not a statue, after all…."

The Gold Saints wished to laugh until dawn, but as if muted by some uninvited power, their laughter stopped, becoming something resembled awkward grimace.

Shaka looked at them all. He didn't even look angry, and still performed his usual elegance and calmness. But they knew something was wrong, because he fisted both of his hands as though he was ready to punch them all.

Yet, he didn't punch them. Instead he turned around and stepped slowly to Virgo temple, his beautiful long golden hair was swept by the evening breeze.

"Oh, he's angry…," Milo gulped, marching on his Virgo friend. "He's angry, he's angry, he's angry…. Oi, Shaka. Sorry. Sorry, okay?" He was only a meter behind Shaka now. "It wasn't me. It's Camus—"

That was big mistake.

Shaka turned around. Milo stopped with a start.

"Camus?" The Virgo asked with his most dangerous voice. "Aquarius Camus?"

"Well… yes, but—"

"Where is he now? Where is_ Aquarius Camus_?"

"O… outside—"

"I am going to kill him."

"_What?!_ No!"

"Yes."

"No! Shaka!"

Never try to run after the strongest saint in Sanctuary, because he walked faster than light speed. Without any warn he pointed his hand to Camus, who was standing in the middle of the others.

"Camus, step aside!" shouted Milo.

Camus blinked.

"TEN MA KOU FU KU!" shouted Shaka.

And Camus blown back until he hit the stairs, immediately unconscious. And the other Goldies did nothing except dumbly opened their mouths because it happened too fast.

And Milo gave Shaka his deadly glare as the later returned to his temple as if nothing happened.

"SHAKA!"

-00—

-00—

"It's alright, it was my mistake," said Camus.

He was lying on his bed, holding wrapped ice cubes on his forehead, while beside him Milo never stopped grumbling about a-cold-hearted-murderous-mindless-long-blond-haire d-pretty-boy.

"He almost killed you," glared Milo. "To think I shared my apple caramel with_ him_!"

"We'd been killing each other before, Milo, in the battle against Hades. Remember?" cut Camus flatly.

Dohko looked at the two young men cheerfully as he poured another medicine into a cup of hot water. If it wasn't because the herbs he brought from Rozan, Camus might be lying helplessly in Shaka's six-worlds right now.

"Don't judge Shaka too much," the Libra said. "I have to say you're too careless, kids. It wasn't a very hilarious joke. And Saga, to think you're allowing them to do it."

Saga, sitting at Camus's left side, was slightly embarrassed. "Well… I had forbid them, but you know, these kids…."

"Ha ha, keep talking, big brother," Milo yelled. "You enjoyed it as well."

"I had warned you," said Saga firmly. "And no, I didn't enjoy it at all. Despite of my fake laughter, I know something like this would take place," he glanced at Camus.

"You can say various things about Shaka, but you have to know the previous battles indeed left painful memories in his heart," said Dohko. "He has to fight you, Saga and Camus, in Twin Sala garden. He accompanied Athena to the underworld. He was forced by Hades to kill Athena. He tried to save Athena by launching his attack to the Wailing Wall, which didn't work and hurt him a lot instead. If there is something he mostly afraid of, it is losing his friends again. Yet you decided to make fun of him with such joke."

The room fell silent. Milo gazed on the sheet. Camus—felt way a lot guiltier than before—took a deep breath and stared at the ceiling. When did he start to be annoying? Hopefully Hyoga didn't know it. Meanwhile Saga tried to hide his guilty visage by turning around, cleaning Camus's desk, which was unnecessary because it had been too shiny.

"I don't blame you," said Dohko hurriedly. "I just want you to know that Shaka is not as strong as he actually looks."

They didn't speak again. Camus sipped the second potion brewed by Dohko. Milo sighed, laying his back on the wooden chair.

He knew he couldn't sleep soundly before asking for Shaka's apologize. Only he had to truthfully pray for the best, considering Shaka had locked himself in his room the whole day and refused to see anybody.

-00—

-00—

"Shaka?" Milo called as he knocked Shaka's door.

"Who is it?" asked the cold voice inside.

"It's Milo. I'm sorry."

"I do not need it. Why should I care about trashes like you all?"

He sounded like little child.

"You're lying," said Milo flatly. "I know last night you were sneaking to see Camus's condition. He knew you came, only he kept closing his eyes and pretending to sleep. Apparently he worried you would launched another deadly jinx."

Silence for a while.

"I came to cure him," said Shaka.

Milo smiled.

"I know," he said. "May I come in?"

There was no reply. Milo took it as permission. He slowly turned the doorknob and opened it. Shaka was sitting in his usual meditation-pose, in the most boring room of all, because apart from the orchid-patterned carpet, there was no furniture at all.

But for some reason, Milo didn't find it too boring this time.

He sat near the Virgo, studying the later's feature. Shaka's eyes were closed. Despite of his calmness, Milo could still feel his anger.

"I'm sorry. I… well, I was just…."

"Joking," Shaka finished.

Milo inhaled a deep breath. "I didn't mean to…," he paused. "Well, I never thought…." He wanted to continue, but it felt too awkward to talk about friendship in such atmosphere. So he a bit bowed his head and absentmindedly ran his fingers through the carpet's surface.

"I have no family," said Shaka after a while.

"Yeah. Me too."

"The Gold Saints are all left for me."

Milo felt his heart touched, as if it made of sugar cubes and suddenly showered by a cup of warm water. He gazed at Shaka. He didn't know whether it was just him or Shaka's hands were truly a bit shaking.

"I understand," Milo whispered.

"So… aren't you going to treat me the apple-caramel juice again?"

"Caramel—_what_?"

"The juice in the amusement park. It does not taste too bad, honestly."

Milo stared at him. Shaka slowly opened his eyes, revealing a pair of wonderful ocean-blue orbs.

They didn't know exactly what happened, but Milo started to laughed, and Shaka started to smile.

That evening, all was forgiven, as if the previous days had turned into some transparent fogs.

Couple days after, the Gold Saints were amazed seeing apple-caramel juice had become Shaka's most favorite drink, next to a glass of mineral water.

**-fin-**


End file.
